The present invention refers to a container for containing two different separate products and mixing them, by means of which the two products can be kept separate for an indefinite time period without the risk of them coming into contact with each other, and they can be mixed inside of the container in the moment they are to be used.
Containers of the type explained are widely used in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, for example, for the distribution and sale of certain medicines including two products of substances which must be kept separate until taking them.
Containers are already known for the mentioned purpose which comprise a recipient with a loading opening, which contains a first product; a capsule containing a second product, which is coupled on the recipient as from its loading opening; and a closure cap of the recipient, which is provided with means for breaking the bottom of the capsule, such that the second product contained in said capsule falls into the recipient containing the first product, being able to then obtain a good mixture of the two products, for example, by means of shaking the container.
A container of this type is disclosed, for example, in Spanish Utility Model number 147,793, dated 23 Apr. 1969, regarding a storage and closure cap on necks of containers. According to said Utility Model, a capsule open on its upper base and closed on the lower one is internally coupled on the neck of a recipient. Inside of this capsule, a second breaker capsule is arranged, which is similar to the first one but arranged in a reverse position, this second breaker capsule having the wall finished off with an inclined edge which faces the bottom of the first capsule and separated therefrom by means of an easily detachable upper ring. The assembly is closed by means of a cap with a skirt that can be screwed to the neck of the container. With this constitution, two different products, a first product contained in the container or recipient and a second product contained in said first capsule, can be kept separate until the moment of their use. For the mixing thereof, it is enough to separate the upper ring and then screw on the cap to a maximum screwed-on position in which it pushes the second breaker downwards, such that the inclined edge of the wall thereof acts on and breaks the bottom of the first capsule, so that the product contained therein falls into the recipient or container, then bringing together the two products so as to carry out their mixing by shaking.
In the disclosed cap, in order to carry out the mixing, it is necessary to remove the cap, remove the upper ring and screw the cap back on.
This drawback is resolved by making the cap and second capsule form a single part, as disclosed, for example, in European Patent EP 0963325. In said patent, the breaker capsule is coupled to the bottom of the cap by means of an intermediate wall. Furthermore, when the cap is screwed on to maximum screwed-on position, the edge of the wall of the container capsule is retained between the skirt of the cap and the wall of the breaker capsule, such that when unscrewing said cap, the removal of the container capsule occurs. This possibility demands a special configuration of the edge of the container capsule and a good fit of said edge between the skirt of the cap and the wall of the breaker capsule, so as to ensure removal of the container capsule. As is normal in this type of closures, the wall or skirt of the cap is provided with a tamper-evident ring, breaking of which occurs when initiating the screwing on of the cap from the closure position until maximum screwed-on position. This ring serves to limit the screwing-on of the cap in its normal closure position, keeping the edge of the wall of the breaker capsule close to the bottom of the container capsule, and, as a tamper-evident ring, against undue manipulations. This tamper-evident ring system is widely used in closure of caps of similar bottles and containers.
In either of the explained cases, it is necessary to completely unscrew the cap until opening the container for taking or using the mixture of the two products.